


That Would Be The Best Present

by QueenofCrazy



Series: tumblr works [8]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Fluff, Hopeful Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 11:22:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13099044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenofCrazy/pseuds/QueenofCrazy
Summary: Stiles and Derek adopted a child but split up a few years later. Now their daughter just wants them to be happy together.





	That Would Be The Best Present

**Author's Note:**

> Written for @spainkitty as part of @eternalsecretsanta I really hope you enjoy this lovely! Happy Holidays!

It was Stiles’ week with Ashley. She was eight now, Derek and him had adopted her when she was two, and had split up when she was five. It wasn't that they didn't love each other, they did, but they both wanted different things. They started arguing everyday, there were days where one of them would storm out of the house and go stay somewhere else for a couple of days. It had gotten to the point, where they had to split up for the sake of Ashley. So Stiles moved out, got his own house, they sat down with Lydia and Allison to get their help on what to do considering Ashley. And so they set up switching her from house to house each week, with a family dinner every Sunday, with the whole pack where the swap over would happen. 

Stiles lived fifteen minutes away from Derek's. For the sake of Ashley, because if she started wolfing out randomly, and Stiles couldn't anchor her then he needed to get Derek there as soon as he could. It had happened before, and broke his heart every time because he couldn't help his little girl. It made him feel useless, and wonder what he was doing wrong that he couldn't help his daughter. Derek always managed to calm her down and get her to sleep, and then would leave straight after. They didn't have a good relationship anymore, they kept an act up around Ashley, to protect her, but it was awkward for them to be around each other without someone else there to break the tension. 

Ashley woke up on Sunday, later than usual, Stiles didn't think anything of it. He made her the usual Sunday breakfast, waffles, fresh fruit, maple syrup and hot chocolate. Then got her ready for a bath, during which she made him stay. Told him she had a question for him. 

“Dad, why don't you and Papa live together?” 

Stiles was shocked, he didn't know what to say, he watched her and tried to figure out how to reply.

“Aunt Allison and Uncle Scott live together, and so do Aunt Lydia and Uncle Jackson. But why don't you and Papa? Is it, is it because of me?” 

Stiles rushed off his perch on the toilet seat, “Baby no, it's not because of you, we both love you very much. But Papa and I? We weren't getting along anymore, and it had nothing to do with you, at all.” Stiles didn't want to lie to her. “And we didn't love each other the same anymore.” 

“Oh. So you and Papa don't love each other?” 

“I can't speak for your Papa, but I still love him, but it's different now, we hurt each other a lot. So I moved out, and now here we are.” 

Ashley nodded her head like she understood, and she properly did simon was a smart girl. After that Stiles left the bathroom and went to his bedroom, where he grabbed his photo album. It had photos from his high school and college years, photos from the start of his and Derek's relationship when they still loved each other so purely. He kept flipping through, to the photos from their wedding day. Where the spoke their vows, light and love shining in their eyes, smiles skin bright. Photos from their first dance, their foreheads pressed together, just looking into each other's eyes. Stiles wanted so badly to go back to then when they were so in love and so in sync with one another. Stiles hadn't tried dating at all since they had split, no one would ever compare to Derek for him, he would never be able to love someone like he had loved Derek, like he still loved Derek. He knew Derek had dated a few people here and there, and while it did admittedly bother him a little, it was Derek's life and Stiles wasn't going to tell him how to live it. 

After her bath Ashley continued like it was a normal day,they spent it watching cartoons together up until they had to leave to go to Scott and Allison's for pack dinner. They were the last to arrive, and so Stiles had to park his car on the road. Since Christmas was only a couple of weeks away Scott and Allison had completely decorated their place, lights were flashing, decorations littered the front lawn, and once going inside Stiles could see the Christmas tree completely decked out and flashing. Ashley ran off to check it out but Stiles continued to the dining room where he knew everyone would be gathered, the first one, as always, to notice him when he walked in the room was Derek, whose eyes Stiles avoided. Lydia noticed him next but only asked him where his daughter was then left to find her. Kira came up to him next and they spent most of their time talking about their students, Stiles taught English while Kira took after her father and taught history. 

Ashley ran into the room with Lydia on her heels and ran straight to Derek. And oh how it broke his heart every time his week with her was over, to see how happy she was to see Derek again, she was never that happy to see him. Scott came over to distract him by telling him about the animals that had been brought into the vet the past few days. 

They sat down for dinner not long after, conversations flowing up and down the table, talk of Christmas and what they were doing this year, a few of them quietly talked about what to get Ashley this year for Christmas, before Allison obviously got sick of it and called down the table to Ashley.

“What do you want for Christmas sweetie?” 

Ashley thought for a bit before her face lit up, “I want Papa and Dad to live together again and love each other. That would be the best present” 

The table went silent and Stiles dropped his knife and fork. Derek was looking at Ashley, at how proud and happy she looked at the idea. 

“Baby…” Stiles whispered. 

Derek turned his head at Stiles voice, as did Ashley, who must've seen the distraught on his face. 

“But Dad, when we were talking earlier you looked sad, I just want you to be happy again.” Ashley's eyes filled with tears. 

Stiles couldn't look away from her, not even to look at Derek, who he knew was watching him. 

“You said it wasn't because of me that you don't live together, but you look upset again.” Ashley sobbed out. 

Stiles stood up and went to kneel in front of her, he took her hands in his. “It wasn't because of you baby, I promise okay?” 

Ashley nodded her head, “So you'll come move back in with Papa and I right?” 

Stiles felt a tear slip free, “I'm sorry, but no.” 

“But why?” Ashley yelled as she pulled her hands out of his. 

Stiles just shook his head at her and watched as she ran out of the room. He knew everyone was watching him,but he didn't care. He had upset his baby girl, and there was nothing he could do to fix it. He leaned forward until his forehead was resting against her chair. He listened as Scott ushered everyone out of the room, as Derek told Scott he was going to take Ashley home and would see him next Sunday. 

“Stiles…” Scott said as he walked over to Stiles. 

“I don't want to talk about it Scott. Not today okay?” 

Scott nodded, gave Stiles a tight hug and then Stiles left. All the while thinking about Ashley. And her request for Christmas. He would give the world, go to the end of the universe for her, but this was the one thing thing he couldn't give her, because of how much it would hurt to move back in with Derek, in the house that was built for the purpose of them adopting more children together.

Thursday, while marking some essays, he was distracted by some insistent knocking on his front door. He looked at the time and saw it was almost ten o'clock at night, confused and unsure of who would visit him this late at night, he was shocked when he opened the door. 

“Derek.” He breathed.

“Hey Stiles.” Derek replied, a small smile on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, leave a kudos or comment if you enjoyed! Find me on tumblr @kevaaronday


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